The Serbian Society and the Union of Greek Students are pleased to welcome you to "The Millennium Match Up" between basketball teams representing London Serbs and London Greeks. It is the first event of its kind, and will, we hope, become an annual contest.

It is intended to be a celebration of the proud basketball heritage of Greeks and Serbs. It is, however, also about community. In many ways, London is the epitome of a modern, multi-cultural metropolis and a city that opens its doors to people from all over the world. In order to benefit from all that London has to offer, it is important to retain a sense of both identity and community. The game is about participation in a community event that draws on our common heritage. Both teams are exclusively drawn from amateur players of Serb and Greek parentage that currently reside in London.

Serbs and Greeks have a long tradition of friendship. This is borne out of a common religion, cultural similarities and shared values. This tradition of friendship is, we are happy to say, also being nurtured in London.

We hope that the game will in some small way contribute to this unique sporting tradition. We also hope that it will provide other Londoners with a flavour of one of the oldest rivalries in European basketball.

There has been a substantial Greek community in London for most of this century. Serbs, on the other hand, first began to establish themselves shortly after the Second World War and have grown in number rapidly ever since - particularly over the last few years. There can be no doubt that the combined population of Serbs and Greeks in London runs into the tens of thousands. Clearly, an event designed to celebrate Greek and Serbian friendship in London was long overdue.

Basketball occupies a very special place in the sporting heritage of Greeks and Serbs. The game is synonymous with sporting excellence for both nations and is played with a fervour unique to the Balkan temperament. Greece and Yugoslavia have at various times enjoyed European basketball supremacy. It is therefore hardly surprising that a passionate sporting rivalry has emerged between the two nations: many of the matches played between Greece and Yugoslavia over the years have become the stuff of legend.

All proceeds from this event will be sent to Gracanica Monastery to be used for the benefit of orphaned Serbian children from Kosovo.

Gracanica Monastery, located in the village of Gracanica some 5 km from Pristina, was built in the early fourteenth century by King Milutin of Serbia. Gracanica is generally regarded as one of Serbia’s most important monastic sites. Following recent events however, it has also become one of the few remaining centres of Serbian community activity in Kosovo. Its continued survival is vital if Serbs are to return to their homes in the province.

A number of projects of great importance for the local Serbian population are being run from Gracanica monastic complex. Among others, these include

• a 125 years old school named after King Milutin,

• a hospital set up during NATO bombardment last year to help numerous wounded civilians and

• a communications centre.

During the dramatic events of the 1999 war and its aftermath, the monks from several sites in central Kosovo provided the only links between beleaguered Serbian enclaves and the rest of Yugoslavia.

It would be no exaggeration therefore, to say that Gracanica is not only the spiritual heart of the local Serb community, but also their window to the world and a place where they receive much needed assistance.

In any conflict, children are amongst those that suffer the most. Kosovo was no different. Many children have been left without homes or parents. These homeless orphans are now cared for by kind families of neighbours or the nuns from Gracanica and desperately need our help.

Any donation that you can make to this worthy cause will be gratefully received.